cell phones

[texastracy]

My Hubby's ex - without notice or discussion - has blocked our home phone, hubby's cell phone and my cell phone on both his kids cell phones so he cannot call them and they cannot call him.... Kids are 14 and 15 (16 in May).   We offered to buy them new phones for x-mas but ex said she was going to.    Ex relocated the kids to another county and they are busy with school and sports.  The cell is best way to communicate with the kids.  Hubby is also responsible for picking them up at their activities.  He feels this is also a safety issue should he have problems on his 50 minute drive to get them.... Any thoughts or suggestions? 

Background, ex took hubby back to court November 07 to reduce visitation to 1 day per month.  Judge stopped the trial and said he is not taking any time away and to settle the matter.  That was finally done in April, 2008.   Everything has been going according to the court order in place.

It seems that when things are going fine, the ex finds ways to create problems....

[gemini3]

When is the next time you have the kids?  Unblock them the next time you see the kids.  Or get a calling card and use that to call the kids.  There's one called "Spoof Card" that let's you decide what number is sent to caller ID, so you can get around the block that way.

I wouldn't say anything at all to the ex about it.  She's just trying to get a reaction.

[ocean]

Some people here get a 1800 number...fairly inexpensive... but she may block that. Will the kids tattle that they have a new number? I like the calling card option but that may get expensive if you talk to the daily. Will BM allow them to have a second phone paid by you to call you on? She wants control...that is all it is...but at their ages they should speak up and say I need to talk to dad to pick me up from sports.

[MixedBag]

Ah, cell phones.  A subject too I may be facing soon.

1.  I suggest you go to the Socrateaser page on this site and SEARCH for this subject.  Soc addressed this in older posts.

2.  I'm one of those parents who set up toll free numbers for the kids to call me.  The number is actually a WORD in the hopes that they will remember it incase of an emergency.  The company I used didn't charge much and the per minute rate is reasonable.

I pay for a cell phone plan for our son to use, and haven't said squat about  it when dad calls our son and "uses up minutes" as opposed to texting that's unlimited.  Wonder what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot?  Time will tell.

[texastracy]

We have thought about changing our numbers - I dont know if the kids would tattle but what happens when H calls and she is there and says whose that? I do not think they would lie so mom of course would take phone and get the number calling from and block that too?

We did write her at attorneys advice and asked her to remove the blocks.  She wrote back that all communication can be done on the home phone to and from the kids. 

Weekends are free so that doesnt even use her minutes.

My gut from day one is this is a control issue.  She wants all communication through her only. 

I do agree that the kids SHOULD speak up.. but they are kinda in a bad spot - if they complain she may threaten to take the phones away.  that is how they communicate with friends by texting.   

We have thought about texting but H is not too into doing that... I wonder if he can text with the block on?

[tigger]

We have thought about texting but H is not too into doing that... I wonder if he can text with the block on?

According to Verizon, they can't block numbers from texting.

[texastracy]

Thanks - ex uses Verizon

[texastracy]

I just went into the spoof card site - I LOVE it - Thank Thank you for this tip !!!

[MixedBag]

Yes, it is a control issue.    And that's the confusing part of all.

If the EX doesn't like "hearing" from you/Dad, why not allow the kids to use a cell phone and then the EX wouldn't have to listen to the phone ring and answer it and say "Kids your DAD is on the phone!"

Because they enjoy inserting themselves in the middle.

I explained to our son what the rules were with regards to his cell phone and the main one was "Don't blow the bill or else you're paying for it."  Our son has done well with it.

Good luck!

but like I said before, search Soc's part of this site concerning this subject and mainly OWNERSHIP of the phones if you provide them on your plan.

[MomofTwo]

Does your husbands orders specify that he gets access to cell phone numbers for the children?   Are his orders specific to time/days he can call the children and does it limit him to the home phone? I only ask because my orders specify home phone is what NCP is to call on and at designated times.    If the order does not say he has specific times and that he should have access to the cell phones, then Mom is not disobeying any orders and maybe the order needs clarifying/modifying.